This invention relates to electric lamp socket switches of the rotary shaft type, and more particularly to a freely hanging extension by which such rotary shaft may be disposed horizontally and operated at an extended position by rotation of the extension about a vertical axis.
In electric lamps of the floor and table types, wherein the lamp socket switch includes a rotary shaft fitted with a hand knob at its outer end, the hand knob usually is located under a lamp shade, or is otherwise inconveniently positioned for easy access and hand manipulation. In some instances, such as with swag lamps, the hand knob is elevated out of convenient reach.
A variety of switch operator extensions have been proposed heretofore in an effort to overcome the aforementioned difficulties. The extensions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 803,281 and 936,518 are suitable for use with lamp sockets which are elevated out of convenient reach, but the lamp socket must be tilted at an angle to vertical, because the axis of rotation of the extension must be maintained at a substantial obtuse angle with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotary shaft of the switch. The hand gripping portion of the extension disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 519,354 can function with its rotational axis perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotary shaft of a switch, but the coil spring coupling necessarily is so strong that when the hand gripping portion is not held by a hand, the coil spring swings it outward toward alignment of its axis with the axis of the rotary shaft. If a lamp shade were in the way, the hand gripping portion would engage and possibly damage it. In any case, the hand gripping portion will not hang freely downward for most convenient access.